Daniel Madren's Community and Travel Funds Report: Indiana Regional Group Inaugural Meetup

Published: May 27, 2025 by Daniel Madren

Thanks to the US-RSE Community and Travel Funds program, supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, I had the chance to bring together RSE team members from Purdue, Indiana University, and the University of Notre Dame for a meetup in Indianapolis. We wanted to better understand how each of our teams operate, where we’re running into the same challenges, and how we might work together to build something more intentional: a sustainable, connected US-RSE Indiana Regional Group.

We started by grounding ourselves in the mission and community of US-RSE, including its working groups, affinity groups, and the upcoming 2025 conference in Philadelphia. From there, we dove into how each of our institutions fund and organize RSE work, how we intake and prioritize projects, and how we support our team members’ growth and success. What stood out most was how much common ground we share. From hiring struggles and questions about career progression to finding the right balance of visibility and support, it became clear that we weren’t alone in what we were experiencing. We also recognized that each team had developed unique strategies, workflows, and tools that others could benefit from and that we have much to learn from one another if we stay connected.

To explore what that could look like, we held a breakout session using easel pads, markers, and sticky notes. Everyone had a chance to vote on the ideas they felt most excited about. The most popular ideas? Regular meetups and knowledge-sharing events, a focus on building regional support groups, and more in-person connections at conferences and symposiums. We also discussed shared documentation, training opportunities, and ways to keep in touch, including launching our shared regional slack channel!

One of the biggest highlights of the day was that we were able to co-locate this meetup with Purdue’s 2025 Research Computing Cyberinfrastructure Symposium. Because of the travel support, folks from Notre Dame and IU could take part in the symposium, attend the RSE meetup, and build relationships all in one trip! Personally, this experience has been transformational. As a program manager, I’ve gained new insights into how RSE operations work across institutions, but more than that, I’ve found a sense of community. These meetups reminded me that we don’t have to go it alone. We’re not competitors, we’re collaborators. We’re all trying to build something sustainable, meaningful, and supportive. And now, thanks to this initiative, I know I can reach out to any one of these folks and get thoughtful, honest feedback and support.

For anyone considering organizing a similar meetup, my advice is simple….just start! The US-RSE Community Funds program helps break down the barriers of institutional silos. It’s one thing to talk about how a center operates, it’s another to experience it firsthand. Through USRSE networking like this, teams from Notre Dame have visited Purdue to tour our data center and the Envision Center, and our team has supported Notre Dame’s own RSE Mini-Con. These kinds of exchanges build trust, empathy, and shared purpose. My advice for those applying for community funds is to focus on depth over formality. Prioritize face-to-face conversations, make time for open brainstorming, and listen for the ideas that resonate most across institutions. With even modest support, you can plant seeds for a thriving, collaborative RSE community.

• Daniel